Angourie Rice — on young fame, nerves on set, and 'The Last Thing He Told Me'

Summary

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Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Guest: Angourie Rice
Episode: On young fame, nerves on set, and 'The Last Thing He Told Me'
Date: March 17, 2026
Location: Crossroads Kitchen, Los Angeles

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Episode Overview

In this lively, heartfelt episode of Dinner’s on Me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson shares a meal with Angourie Rice, acclaimed actress from Mean Girls, the Spider-Man films, and Apple TV’s The Last Thing He Told Me. Over vegan Italian fare at LA’s Crossroads Kitchen, they dive into topics ranging from dealing with young fame, nerves on set, and the pressure of carrying an iconic film franchise forward, to embracing creativity, family roots, and the joy (and sometimes awkwardness) of being recognized in public. The conversation is rich with personal stories, warm humor, and honest reflection—perfectly capturing the candid, comfortable tone of friends chatting over dinner.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Family, Roots, and International Upbringing

• [03:36] Angourie's Moveable Childhood: Grew up in Perth, moved to Germany for her mother's PhD research, became fluent in German by age 10, then returned to Australia, now frequently traveling between LA and Melbourne for work.
• [07:40] "You’re such a sponge as a kid." – Jesse
• [10:18] Creativity Runs in the Family: Angourie’s mother is a writer and editor; creativity was woven into daily life. Encouraged performances and imaginative play with her sister, who was a gymnast.

2. Finding Your Place in the Arts

• [11:32] Dance and Artistic Exploration:
  • Angourie revisits dance classes as an adult (broadway jazz, ballet) for the joy rather than competition.
  • Jesse shares his own less enthusiastic dabbling in dance during acting school.
• [12:13] "I don't enjoy learning choreography... I like to be free on stage.” – Jesse

3. Public Recognition and the Loss of Anonymity

• [15:11] Fame and Relatability: Both discuss rarely feeling anonymous but sometimes play along when people think they’re old acquaintances.
• [16:36] "My answer’s always yes." – Jesse, on pretending to remember someone who recognizes him.
• [17:22] Angourie Recognized for Her Early Work:
  • Recently recognized in a bar for The Nice Guys (age 13), reflecting on growing up with her work visible.
  • [18:29] Recalls the nerves before her first major film set:
    • “I remember actually lying down on the floor and just saying…I can’t believe I’m about to do this tomorrow.” – Angourie

4. Working with Legends, Handling Pressure

• [19:23] Imposter Syndrome and First-Day Jitters:
  • On The Nice Guys, Angourie describes shaking with nerves, her "legs were like jelly," at only 13, working alongside Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe.
• [19:42] “The first couple days, I felt like I was fighting for my life!” – Angourie

5. Food as Conversation and Joy

• [20:03] Foodie Connections: Jesse wrote a cookbook, hosted the James Beard Awards; Angourie relishes vegan dining.
• [27:08] Angourie’s Vegan Journey:
  • Started at age 12 after a science project on farming.
  • Transitioned from red meat, to vegetarian, then vegan at 21—now second nature.
• [29:03] What She Misses Most:
  • Not meat—just “canned tuna and rice with a squeeze of ketchup” (her comfort food!) and “good pot set Greek yogurt.”

6. Books, Creativity, and Literary Life

• [30:31] Angourie as the ‘Book Nerd’:
  • Lifelong love of libraries and reading, hosts a books-themed podcast (“The Community Library”), co-authors YA novels with her mom.
• [33:13] Reading as Joy, Not Obligation:
  • They discuss the pressure to read “serious” books as an adult vs. reading for fun.
• [34:02] Upcoming Book:
  • New novel My Wonderful Disgrace, told through letters, emails, and texts, arrives in May.

7. Iconic Franchises: Mean Girls & The Last Thing He Told Me

• [23:24] Mean Girls: Carrying a Legacy Forward:
  • Angourie was “so nervous” tackling the iconic Lindsay Lohan role in the musical adaptation; reflects on the pressure of expectations and performing musical numbers for camera vs. stage.
• [24:18] “Big shoes [to fill]… that whole cast was incredible.” – Angourie, on Mean Girls
• [34:54] Book Club Surprise:
  • Reese Witherspoon (also producer of The Last Thing He Told Me) picked Angourie and her mother’s book for her YA summer book club. The surprise—delivered by Jennifer Garner on set—was an emotional, memorable moment.

8. On-Set Stories & Houseboats

• [37:30] Shooting ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’:
  • Filmed in LA; key houseboat set in Sausalito, SF. The experience sparked a new appreciation for houseboat life.
• [38:06] Homesick on Set:
  • Angourie would look at the Pacific, thinking her parents were on the opposite shore.

9. Navigating Hollywood as a Young Star

• [38:54] Spider-Man and Growing Up on Set:
  • Cast at 15; spent six pivotal years connected to the Marvel franchise. Discusses how challenging it can be to "find who you are in the face of something so out of your control."
• [39:52] Parental Grounding:
  • Family instilled: “You are a worthy creative person, whether people are casting you and paying you to do it or not.”

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Memorable Quotes

• “I remember actually lying down on the floor… I can’t believe I’m about to do this tomorrow. It was unbelievable in the truest sense of the word.”
  – Angourie Rice [18:29]

• “The first couple days, I felt like I was fighting for my life. I was so nervous.”
  – Angourie Rice [19:34]

• “My answer’s always yes.”
  – Jesse Tyler Ferguson, on fans thinking they went to school together [16:36]

• “People are worried about the vegan… sometimes I’m like, it’s okay, guys!”
  – Angourie Rice [27:46]

• “You are a worthy creative person whether people are casting you and paying you to do it or not.”
  – Angourie Rice [39:54]

• “We always have to have a look at the dessert menu.”
  – Angourie Rice [41:33]

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Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [03:36] Angourie’s international childhood—Australia, Germany, learning languages.
• [10:18] Life with creative parents, sibling performances at home.
• [15:11] Losing anonymity, as both stars talk about being recognized in public.
• [17:22] Angourie recognized for The Nice Guys 10 years later.
• [18:29] Honest nerves before her first Hollywood film.
• [20:03] Jesse’s passion for food, cookbooks, and culinary awards.
• [27:08] The journey to veganism.
• [29:03] Comfort food confessions: canned tuna and ketchup.
• [30:31] Angourie’s passion for reading (and her books podcast).
• [34:54] Surprise call: Reese Witherspoon’s book club pick announcement, a touching moment with Jennifer Garner.
• [37:30] Behind the scenes: life on houseboats for The Last Thing He Told Me.
• [38:54] Spider-Man years and growing up with Marvel.
• [41:33] “We always have to have a look at the dessert menu.” – a lighthearted, closing truth.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a delightful, in-depth window into Angourie Rice’s journey from precocious Australian performer to major Hollywood talent—balancing nerves, family, authenticity, and the pressures of icon-status roles, all with warmth and a quick, self-effacing wit. Jesse Tyler Ferguson's own reflections and culinary enthusiasm add to the inviting, generous spirit of the show, making this conversation a treat for fans, young actors, and anyone who’s tried to find themselves in the limelight—or just tried to sneak a peek at dessert.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right now, we're in one of those seasons where everything is happening all at once. I'm getting ready for a play in New York, and then after that I'm going to be doing a musical in London and we're figuring out schedule, school, travel, where everyone's going to be, you know, all of it. And it's getting down to the wire. And in moments like that, I'm very aware of how helpful it is to have a little support, which is something I've been thinking about when I've thought about hosting my home on Airbnb. Listen, if you're traveling, relocating temporarily, or just juggling a lot, hosting can feel like just one more thing on your plate. That's where Airbnb's co host network comes into play. You can partner with a vetted local co host who helps manage all the details while you're away. A co host can handle guest communication, design and styling, and even on site support. So hosting feels manageable even when life feels very busy. So if spring is bringing big plans, big projects, or big changes, this could be a time to host your home on Airbnb. If you've considered hosting but need some help, find a co [e-mail] host.

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today on the show. You know her from the Mean Girls movie musical. You know her from the Tom Holland Spider man trilogy and the Apple TV series. The Last thing He Told Me. It's Ngowie Rice.

[Ngowie Rice]

The night before my first day on set, I went with a family friend, and I remember actually lying down on the floor Floor and just saying to her, I can't believe this is my life. I can't believe I'm about to do this tomorrow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is. Dinner's on me. And I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

So today we're at Crossroads in West Hollywood. Crossroads is an incredible vegan restaurant here in Los Angeles.

It's very popular.

It's known for its Italian fare. Think pastas and risottos, decadent desserts, piccata, but it's all plant based. My guest today, N Gowri, is a vegan, so I thought this would be a perfect place to bring her. I'm a big fan of Chef Tal Ronan, who is elevating vegan cuisine here in Los Angeles. So I'm excited to sit down and get to the conversation.

[Ngowie Rice]

I've never. Obviously, every time I've been here, it's been open and packed.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's been opened and packed. Packed, Yeah, I know, I know.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. You live in la, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I do, yeah, I do. I go back and forth from New York to la.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you are going back and forth from Melbourne to la. That's really far.

[Ngowie Rice]

Just wherever work takes me.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

Which is often la.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But your family's in Melbourne right now. Okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

I love how you say Melbourne.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I know I should. That's right. Am I saying it right? Yeah, yeah. I spent some time in Australia. I have a very good friend who is raised in Perth.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, my gosh. I used to live in Florida.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know, I know.

[Ngowie Rice]

Done your research.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I know we shot an episode of Modern Family in Australia.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes, I remember that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Which was.

[Ngowie Rice]

You were in Sydney, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was in Sydney. And then we went up to the. The Great Barrier Reef for a little while and it was kind of. I mean, looking back, I was certainly. I don't consider it to be one of our best episodes because, like, it was, like, big swings about Australia. Like, it was just like, a lot of, like, a lot of, like, stereotypes, like, dingo ate my baby. I was like, we're better than this.

[Ngowie Rice]

I remember watching it at the time and thinking, wow, they really came here.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know.

[Ngowie Rice]

That was so exciting. Have you been back since then?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I went for New Year's Eve one. One year.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, my gosh. In Sydney?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, you know, they don't around with New Year's Eve.

[Ngowie Rice]

No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, it was.

[Ngowie Rice]

Because it's summer too, so everyone's out and they're like, yeah, little outfits.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know. No, it was really fun, but it was like that Was, like, the hardest I've ever gone for New Year's Eve. And, like, that was the last time I ever went hard for New Year's Eve. Like, it put an end to all of it. I was like, and I'm done with that. And that chapter of my life is over.

[Ngowie Rice]

How long did you stay out?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think we. Oh, my God.

[Ngowie Rice]

Did you see the sunrise?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I might have seen the sunrise.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's the way to do it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know. I mean, I go to bed at seven now, except kids.

[Ngowie Rice]

So, like. Right. So bringing in 2026.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God, you didn't. We celebrated. We were with. I was with my family up in Napa, and we found, like, on YouTube, you can find, like, countdowns for New Year's Eve for kids. So you just, like, play it. Because they wanted to do the countdown. I was like, and normally, if I'm on. If I'm on this coast, I'll do, like, the countdown with New York. So at 9pm I can be like, hand them out.

[Ngowie Rice]

People in LA love to do that. They're like, oh, we celebrate New York.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yep. That's right. That's right. But even that was too late for us. I was like, oh, my God, I don't know if they're gonna be able to make it till 9pm so we went on YouTube and we're like, countdown for kids. And, like, it was just like a, you know, countdown from 30 seconds. And we did it with our kids. Blew the thing. And it's bedtime. And it was like, seven.

[Ngowie Rice]

Right, right, right. But how old are they?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Five and a half and three.

[Ngowie Rice]

So you can. You can kind of manipulate time in that way.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, how times have changed from, like, me seeing the sunrise in Sydney. I mean, this was like, 10 years ago, so I've just turned 50, so, like, maybe I was probably before I turned 40. And now, you know, I'm, like, manipulating the countdown while the sun's still setting.

[Ngowie Rice]

I saw the sunrise this year, which I think was maybe my first time seeing the sunrise. I loved it, though.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You went back?

[Ngowie Rice]

I was at home. So I think because of the way it works, we celebrate New Year's Eve first in Australia. Like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Ngowie Rice]

We're one of the first places where it kind of ticks over.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. That's right. You move forward in time.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes. We're ahead. So, yeah, I celebrated. I went to a big house party. It was nuts. Yeah, I loved it, though.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Incredible. Do you go back? You go back a lot then? Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

I try to. Like, whenever I'm not working, I'm back home with friends and family.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And your sister's still there as well?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah, my sister's there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And your parents?

[Ngowie Rice]

My parents, the dog.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But everyone lives in Melbourne now.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes. Okay, got it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So what made everyone leave Perth?

[Ngowie Rice]

My family moved to Germany for a year from Perth. My mom was. She was researching for her PhD, and her research took her to Germany, and she already spoke German, and she wanted us to learn another language. So we all left. I kind of. When I was a kid. I mean, I was 10, so I was, like, fluent. I. You know, you're a kid, you just, like, soak it up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Such a sponge.

[Ngowie Rice]

And then I came. When we came back, I continued to study it. I went to German Saturday school. So my German is okay now. But it was so much better back then. Do you speak any other languages?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My stepmom is. Is German.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, really?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I. I don't speak German at all. My dad's trying to learn for her, but, like, you know, when you're 80 years old and you're trying to learn a new language, your brain's like. No, no.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. It's probably, like, really good for the brain, though. Like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, I'm sure.

[Ngowie Rice]

Like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But he barely retains, like, information from, like, when I get off the phone with him to, like, when I talk to him. He's not going to remember a new language.

[Ngowie Rice]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love my dad, but he's just not great about retaining information.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's fine.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. So you went to Germany and you were there for how long?

[Ngowie Rice]

Just for a year.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

I went to school there. Yeah. We didn't go to international school. We went to German school. It was pretty scary, but it was great. Yeah. I turned 11 while we were there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Where in Germany were you?

[Ngowie Rice]

We were in Munich, in the south. It was great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How are you?

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Welcome. Let me get you started with something to drink. Should I get a bottle of cello sparkling water?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I want something sparkling.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Something sparkling?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah, sure. I'll go sparkling. Let's do it. Ooh, feeling bubbly. Thank you so much. I was here two nights ago. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

In my seat.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes. Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And last time I sat. Last time I came here, I saw this booth.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

How was your experience?

[Ngowie Rice]

Amazing. I love it here. It's. I. I've been here a handful of times. It's great.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Yeah, it's awesome. Welcome back.

[Ngowie Rice]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Anything else to drink besides water for me? This is good right now.

[Ngowie Rice]

I'm good with this. Thank you so much.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

We're gonna get you started with Some food. We're gonna get you the zucchini blossoms.

[Ngowie Rice]

Start.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

And romaine sister salad. And then I'll get you the lasagna.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

The ravioli and something else.

[Ngowie Rice]

Something else.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you. I mean, you're. I love my parents so much. They were not involved in the arts at all. They appreciated it. My mom specifically appreciated it, but my dad was a microbiologist, my mom was an OBGYN nurse. And they just had completely different. I mean, their careers were so far away from the arts. And I always like, sort of envied my friends who had parents who were deeply enmeshed in the arts, just because I think it would have been fun to share that at an early age with them. And your mom was a writer, right?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes, she's a writer and editor. Like, she does lots of, lots of things around writing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, super creative parents.

[Ngowie Rice]

Very creative parents. And I'm so, I am so grateful for that also because, like, their kind of creativity and, I don't know, general, like artistic vibe was in everything. You know, it was like, yes, it was their job and they. And they loved it, but it was also like they were always encouraging my sister and I to put on shows for them and like, you know, I'm like the kind of tyrannical older sister, like telling her what moves to do and. Yeah, that's me. Oh, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is she older or younger?

[Ngowie Rice]

She's younger.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. Most of the time. She was really willing, which is good. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is she in the business as well or.

[Ngowie Rice]

She's not really. She did a lot of. She did gymnastics. So. Yeah. I remember my mum telling us there was a point where she was doing dance and I was doing gymnastics and my mum was like, I think they should switch. But she didn't say anything. She let us figure it out on our own. So we did end up switching. She went quite far with gymnastics and I did.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You went quite far with. Are you. Do you still dance?

[Ngowie Rice]

I love dancing, but I don't. Last year I started doing like adult drop in classes, which is so fun. Like, just like what style I was doing Broadway, Jazz.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes, I was hoping you'd say something like that.

[Ngowie Rice]

And then I went back to ballet, which was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, nice. That's hard.

[Ngowie Rice]

It was hard. It was. There was a lot of like internal, like mental kind of stuff to get over with ballet. But.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you study dance when you were younger? I know you said you were in

[Ngowie Rice]

dance class a little bit, but I didn't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you go to acting school?

No.

Okay. I had to take ballet And.

[Ngowie Rice]

Right. Yeah. Did you enjoy it?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, no, I'm not, I'm not. I'm not super coordinated and I've never been a great dancer, but.

[Ngowie Rice]

But do you, do you enjoy dancing or.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't enjoy learning choreography.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And I don't even enjoy like going out to a club and dancing.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, not really.

[Ngowie Rice]

Okay. That's all right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I just feel like, I don't know, I don't. I'm not free enough. Like, I like to be free on stage, but like when I'm out, like, that's myself. I'm just like, I don't want to.

[Ngowie Rice]

Do you ever wear sunglasses in the club to dance?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Ngowie Rice]

That might help.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Nothing helps if I have. I don't have a beard right now. This is what actually helps a lot.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, you feel like, vulnerable? Oh, no.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, no, like, so people don't know it's me.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, you mean putting sunglasses on so you don't have to look at other people? Yes, that actually would help me.

[Ngowie Rice]

That's what I mean.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Like, I thought you meant to like disguise myself.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, I was like, I mean that too. But you're very recognizable.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, no, I think that would actually help me.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah, that helps me because I don't really drink anymore. So like the first couple of times I went out dancing stone cold soba, I was like, ooh, this is different. Everything's sticky and smelly. Maybe I want to go home.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I know, I know.

[Ngowie Rice]

But just put some shades on.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. It's okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

And then like freer.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away when we come back and Gowrie shares her go to response when someone recognizes her in public and we get into the pressure and excitement of carrying the mean girl's legacy forward after Lindsay Lohan. Okay, be right back.

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[Ngowie Rice]

You.

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[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And we're back with more dinners on me.

[Ngowie Rice]

Is that rare for you now to feel anonymous?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It is, yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's very rare.

[Ngowie Rice]

And. Yeah, but. And when it. When you do get those moments, does it, like, feel like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, like when. I mean, when I went to sleep no more and I got to put a mask on, it did feel incredibly freeing. It felt like a weight off my shoulders. It's just. I never feel that way anymore. And I'm. It's okay. Like, I mean, I'm not, you know, I mean, I don't feel trapped by it. I don't feel, like, suffocated by it, but it is something that I miss. Definitely miss. Like, I have, like, a fantasy about it. Like, I wish that I could, you know?

[Ngowie Rice]

What would you do?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God. It's like Harry Potter and the Invisibility Club. You know, it's like, what would you do?

[Ngowie Rice]

What would you do?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I would go dancing.

[Ngowie Rice]

Like, that's, you know, truly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Without sunglasses. Yeah. So.

[Ngowie Rice]

But I think it's. It's hard to let that go. And you're very aware of it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Do you. Do you. You've been working pretty steadily since you were a kid. I mean, have you felt that slip away at all? Anonymity or.

[Ngowie Rice]

In some ways. In some ways. I wonder if this happened to you. Probably not anymore. But, like, I'll get like, did we go to school together?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes. I get that all the time. My answer's always yes.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, really?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

If they say, how do I know you? I was like, I think we went to school together. Even if, like, there's a huge. I love it when there's a huge age gap.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, my gosh. You're out here like, yeah, for sure. I remember you. Mrs. Smith's class, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's like, I think we went to

[Ngowie Rice]

school together at the back, and you're, like, throwing pencils at me. That's right. That's right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. You really get really specific with it.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, I do sometimes say that. I was like, yeah, I think we did go to school together.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I get that. Sometimes people can't fully place it.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. And some. And I can get away with it. So I'm. I often say, oh, I just have one of those faces.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, yeah. I got recognized at a. At a bar recently from. From the Nice Guys, which I did when I was, yeah, 13.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was like, one of your first big movies.

[Ngowie Rice]

That was like, the first big. Yeah. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. So, yeah, that was like. That was a wild time. And. And, yeah, someone at the. At a bar recently was like, oh, I know you're from that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's crazy. They recognize you.

[Ngowie Rice]

And I was like, wow. Yeah, that's. That's wild because here I am, like, ten plus years later. It's. It is strange sometimes I haven't gone back and watched it, but.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You haven't?

[Ngowie Rice]

No. I.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That must be that person's favorite movie or one of their favorite movies, maybe, you know?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Was that sort of your first big, big thing?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes, it was my first American. Big American.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you know who Ryan Gosling was? Of course. And of course you knew who Russell Crowe was, because he's, like, an icon in Australia. Was there. I mean, do you remember, like, what it was like to be with these people that you kind of only knew from.

Did it feel weird?

[Ngowie Rice]

So weird. I remember I never.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because I didn't actually, as a kid. So I'm like, what would I have felt if I was, like, working with people that, like, I watched on tv? I just. I don't know how I would have acted.

[Ngowie Rice]

It was so strange. And I remember the night before my first day on set, and I actually had. I had a family friend chaperone me for the first couple of weeks because my parents were busy. They were like. They were doing a play in Australia. They were like. So they. I went with a family friend, and I remember actually lying down on the floor, just lying there and just saying to her, I can't believe this is my life. I can't believe I'm about to do this tomorrow. Like, it was. It was unbelievable in the truest sense of the word. I was. I felt like I was gonna wake up the next day and it would all be over. And that first day, I was. I was shaking. I, like, could barely walk. I was so nervous. Like, my legs were, like, jelly. I was so nervous, probably from, like,

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

the unknown of what it was gonna be.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes. And I didn't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because I can't imagine, like, once you. Once the camera started rolling like that, you weren't confident. Like, it didn't. Do you remember, like, what it felt like? Did it click in?

[Ngowie Rice]

Maybe it did at some point, but not on the first couple of days. The first couple of days, I felt like I was fighting for my life. I was so nervous.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Remind me how old you were when you did that.

[Ngowie Rice]

I was 13. Oh, my God. Yum. Thank you so much.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you.

[Ngowie Rice]

Wow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yummy, yummy. This is so yummy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is good, right? I know. I'm, like, pumping the braces. I want to make sure I don't fill myself with too much food before my lasagna get to my 10:00am lasagna.

[Ngowie Rice]

You're. And you're super into food.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God. Yeah, I am. I wrote a cookbook.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've hosted the James Beard Awards a few times, which is like the Oscars of the culinary world. Although they hate when we say that. When I was hosting Jane's Beard Awards, I was like, you guys, there's this thing in LA called the Oscars. It's basically the James Beard Awards of the movies. And they were like, yes, that's exactly right.

[Ngowie Rice]

When you host, do you write your own, like, hosting stuff?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, I'm the type of person that I try too hard. I care too much.

That's.

That's the problem with me. I care too much.

[Ngowie Rice]

Great job interview answer, Right? What's your flaw?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I care too much.

And.

And so even if someone's like, we're going to make it super easy for you. We'll write everything. You just have to show up. I'm like, it's not going to. That won't happen because I'll want to punch it up. I'll want to do my own thing. I will spend days rewriting this. And that's what happened. Like, I basically, I treated the James Beard Awards as if I were like, Ellen DeGeneres hosting the Oscars.

[Ngowie Rice]

I love that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was like, I need jokes. I need costumes. I was like, I want to give these people a good show.

[Ngowie Rice]

Absolutely. But I love that level of dedication when people care so much about something.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm gonna do it.

[Ngowie Rice]

My sister and I, I mean, this is really full circle for us, but we started making silly, funny music videos together a couple of years ago just to songs that we, like. We like making music video.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

And it's gotten to the point now where we're like. We're, like, so stressed about it. We're like, oh, does this. Does this song fit? Like, what about this shot? Like, do we like this shot? And then we have to, like, sit down and be like, wait. Actually doesn't matter.

[Depop Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But, you know, it's like, no, but it does.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's so important to us. It's like we feel like we're making a music video for, you know, that's gonna be shown on the television, but it never will be.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And this is just dancing or are you singing as well?

[Ngowie Rice]

We're not singing. We choose a song that we love, and then we just make a video for that song.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What was the last song you did?

[Ngowie Rice]

The last song we did was. It was a song from this Australian movie musical from the 80s called Abba, called Mamma Mia. I don't know if you've heard of was. It was this movie called Starstruck from the 80s, great Australian movie musical. And there's a song in that called I Want to Live in a House. It's this really fun, like, 80s, like, kind of yelly, like. I don't know. It's like, super fun. And we made a music video to that in our house with all our friends.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you. I mean, when I was researching you, I was like, something popped up and I was like, you know your music. And of course, it was like, a lot of the stuff for Mean Girls, but, I mean, your voice is great. Have you wanted to do. Have you done musicals?

Theater?

[Ngowie Rice]

No. No. Musical. I. I don't think I would have the stamina, really. Really. I would have to train very hard. But, like, why would you, like, why would they ask me and, like, put me through two months of training when there are so many people who have it, you know?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because you're talented and great and why not? But Mean Girls had some really difficult music.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. I mean, yeah, it was a Broadway show first. I mean, those.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, I saw it on Broadway first.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Ashley park with one of my good friends who played Gretchen in the musical version on Broadway, and I think was. She had a cameo in the film as well. Yeah, No, I mean, but it was. It's. It's no joke. It's a. It's full on.

[Ngowie Rice]

So. Yeah, I was very nervous for that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I imagine it was so scary. It's sort of. I mean, that movie. I'm sure you were a fan of the film before.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, my gosh. I loved it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, and it's such an iconic film. And then on top of that, you're playing, you know, a role that Lindsay Lohan did that. I mean, she's an icon.

[Ngowie Rice]

I mean, big shoes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Big shoes. I mean, the whole. That whole cast was, like, incredible.

[Ngowie Rice]

Truly incredible. Yeah. I mean, and then making it into, like, this musical movie, like, just back to what you're saying about the music, like, it's also so different when you're like singing to the back row versus when you're singing to like, sure, the cameraman who's right here. You know, it was like this really intimate kind of balance between like, who are we performing to? And I did love those moments where it's like I'm just performing to our cameraman. Like, that's kind of so fun.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we return, Ann Gowrie tells me about the one food she misses most since going vegan. And spoiler, it's nowhere near a burger or a ribeye. Plus, we get into what it was like shooting the last thing he told me on a houseboat. A okay, be right back.

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[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And we're back with more dinners on me.

Yes.

[Ngowie Rice]

Thank you so much. Wow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you. My gosh. Can I get another? A different plate? Another Share Plate. Sure.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

This is the truffle picay.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yum, yum, yum.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is it? What is this?

[Ngowie Rice]

Tofu.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Tofu.

[Ngowie Rice]

Tofu. My best friend.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Are you.

Are you vegan? Vegetarian?

[Ngowie Rice]

I am. I'm vegan.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You are? I remember Ellen DeGeneres had this great. She was vegan for a long time.

[Ngowie Rice]

Was she really?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think she's vegetarian now, or maybe even pescatarian. But she. In her comedy special, she was, like, talking about how people who find out she's vegan are so worried about how she's getting her protein.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, yeah. People love to worry about protein.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's like, you have no idea.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, I'm actually fine with this place. Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's always say, like, you have no idea how many times people are asking me if I'm getting enough protein.

[Ngowie Rice]

People. People get worried.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

People are worried about the vegan. Sometimes I'm like, it's okay, guys.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

We're fine. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Has it been something you've always.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's been a very. It's been a slow journey. Over 10 years. I started. I stopped eating red meat when I was 12.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

I did a project, a science project. The point of the project was absolutely, like, not to turn the children vegetarian. Like, that was not what the project was, but that is the effect it kind of had on me. It was just about. It's a project on, like, cow farming and, like, versus grain farming. And it was just kind of an interesting science project. And what I learned from that, I was like, ooh, I don't know if I want to eat cows anymore. And my mom doesn't eat red meat, and she hasn't my whole life, so that was kind of easy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

So I stopped eating red meat, and I just ate chicken and fish. Then When I was 17, I became vegetarian, and then when I was 21, I became vegan. So it's been a long time. It's been a long journey, so it doesn't feel difficult anymore.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is the question you get asked most if someone learns you're vegan? Is it. What do you miss? And do you miss anything?

[Ngowie Rice]

I don't miss meat. The only meat ish I could maybe see myself missing is canned tuna. I used to love, like, interesting canned tuna with rice. And that's it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Maybe like a canned tuna and rice.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. And like, a squeeze of, like, ketchup. A squeeze of ketchup mixed up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God.

[Ngowie Rice]

I don't know. For some reason, that was, like. That was really good.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's not where I was Expecting that recipe to go.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's like salty and a little bit sweet and.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

I don't know. It's a full meal. You've got a vegetable, a meat and a carb.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that. The tomato is a vegetable.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. Yeah. The ketchup is the vegetable.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's really funny.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. But really what I do miss most, I think is, like, good, like, pot set, Greek yogurt.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh.

[Ngowie Rice]

I think that is hard to make vegan. The best ones are coconut, but the coconut ones make me feel a bit sick.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They're also a little sweet.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. I find they're always trying to like, hide whatever.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right, right, right.

[Ngowie Rice]

Taste. So, yeah, that's kind of what I miss, but I don't miss it enough.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait a minute.

[Ngowie Rice]

That's amazing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is this a piccata?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's really good. I've never gotten that here.

[Ngowie Rice]

I've never gotten it here either.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's really fishy.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know what I was listening to on my way here? First of all, I love what a book nerd you are.

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't know why this surprises me. I mean, we just live in an era now where it's like people are on their phones all the time and we just, we don't.

[Ngowie Rice]

I.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's very rare for me to meet a younger person who is much as much of a book file as you are. It's just. It's really exciting. And I mean, I know you're also an author, which is incredible, and.

But like, I.

You really know a lot about, you know, the history of literature. And I was really impressed. Like, I. I was excited to actually kind of listen to, like, some of your favorite books of, like the last year because I'm always looking for. For new things to read. I mean, for me, I feel like I used to read a ton when I was in New York and this was before, like, my phone was also a scream. And, you know, I would read on the subway and then I would get invested in a book and then I'd read it at home and then I would, like, read in bed and like. And that sort of like, was my aunt. And then I moved to la and when I didn't have the subway anymore, I just kind of stopped reading. Yeah, but you really do. I mean, you are. You're in there, you're reading.

[Ngowie Rice]

I love it. I just love it. I mean, I. But I was always a reader. Like, as a kid. Like, I would read anything from the library. My dad would take me to the library, and I loved the library, because everything was free.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The name of your podcast is the Community Library.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes, I have a podcast about books for the community library. And yeah, my dad, the. The library. I mean, I loved the video store because I loved movies, but they were also. Because you had to pay for that. They were, like, rules about that. I mean, not. You know, my parents, like, okay, you can get one new movie and one old movie.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You.

[Ngowie Rice]

But the library was free, so you could get whatever books you wanted and however many you wanted, as long as you return them on time. And didn't. I mean, gosh, I. I was, like, reading while brushing my teeth and, like, got toothpaste on the book and, you know, like, reading on the train and, like, someone jostled me and, like, ripped the page. So, like, I have unfortunately damaged a couple of library books, but I always pay for them. But, yeah, I just always loved it. But I also went through, like, a time of, I think, in high school of, like, you know, having to read for school and being like, oh, I don't want to do this anymore. And I'm annoyed with what they're assigning us. And I think a lot of people fall out of love with reading when they loved it as kids. And then reading as a grown up has this, like. I don't know if this is true, but sometimes it feels this way. Like, oh, it's, like, big and intellectual and, like, serious.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

But.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I feel like sometimes when I'm reading as an adult, like, I have been known to, like, hide the COVID of what I'm reading because I'm. I feel like this is not what I should be reading. Like, this is not smart enough. It should be, like, Infinite Jest or something.

[Ngowie Rice]

Right, right, right, right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, and it's not.

[Ngowie Rice]

But that's fine.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It doesn't matter. No, it doesn't matter. Having a ball reading, by the way. But, like, I just don't want other people to judge me. Yeah, I'm sad. I'm ashamed to say that.

[Ngowie Rice]

That I have done that, but it's that thing of, like, reading is just fun. Like, remember when you're a kid? And, I mean, I remember, like, I would read the whole day and I'd come downstairs for dinner and I wouldn't be able to talk because I had been silent for the whole day, which was rare for me as a child because I was just so in the book. My voice would be, like, croaky.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you. You wrote a book with your mom after that?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes. We've got a new one coming out. It's called My Wonderful Disgrace.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It hasn't come out yet.

[Ngowie Rice]

Hasn't come out yet. Comes out in May. That one's really fun. That's an original story. Takes place over one night at a school dance, and we follow a bunch of different characters. It's all told in letters, emails, transcripts, texts. It's very like, you're kind of, like, watching this disaster unfold.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that. I love that. But what was exciting, that I was sort of tickled by was that you, you know Reese Witherspoon, who's such, like, a. Now, you know, it's like her and Oprah if, like, you know, they're the people who tell us what to read. And she has such great taste, and, you know, she's obviously produces so many adaptations of books, but she chose your book.

[Ngowie Rice]

She chose Stuck up and Stupid as a young adult summer pick for the book.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And this was before because she's a producer on. On your show now.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes, she's a producer on the Last Thing He Told Me. So there was kind of that connection there. But of course, like, you never know. I mean, we. We sent it to hello Sunshine. Like, fingers crossed. Like, we hope you like it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Were you already working with her at this point?

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ngowie Rice]

And. But we sent it, like, not knowing. We were like, oh, you know, we just. We hope. And I would never presume anything. I would never be like, oh, you know, you owe me, like, never.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right?

[Ngowie Rice]

Because, like, she's so amazing, and she's done, like, so much for the book industry, for, like, women's stories and film and television. I was so, like, honored to be a part of the show. And then we were actually filming season two, and the hello Sunshine team said, oh, can you. Can you come into the trailer with Jen? Like, we just need you to film, like, a little Mother's Day kind of video. I was like, okay. Yeah. It was on my lunch break. So I was like, all right, yeah, let's go. We'll do it like, you put your

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

tuna fish and ketchup aside.

[Ngowie Rice]

Hold this, hold this. Don't eat it. I know it's tempting. So I went in, and they said, okay, we're gonna FaceTime your mom. And I was like, okay, Yeah. I mean, yes. It's, like, for a Mother's Day thing. All right. I thought, that's a bit weird. And they had all these cameras set up. I was like, okay. And then we started talking about Mother's Day, and then Jennifer Garner, who's the lead of our show, who's like, stepmom on the show. Yeah. Stepmom. She's like, such a dear, dear person. She, like, pivoted the conversation. I was like, oh, Jen, like, where's this going? And she said, I just. I'm so excited to tell you something. I was like, oh, my God. She said, your book has been chosen as a book club pick for. For Reese's Book Club. I was like, oh, my God. And my mom was on FaceTime. It was like, that was the first

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

time she was hearing, too.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. We had no idea. I said to Jen, like, how long have you known? She's like, I've known for so long. I couldn't keep from you any longer. Was too much. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So special.

[Ngowie Rice]

So special. So special.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's really incredible.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yeah. And, like, what. What an amazing, like, team to be part of. And now we've got season two coming out of the show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you filmed that already?

[Ngowie Rice]

We filmed it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Where do you film it? You filmed it in la. Where did you film the first season?

[Ngowie Rice]

Also in L. A.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Also in L. A. Where is that house that you. That you live in?

[Ngowie Rice]

Well, that. The houseboat was in Sausalito in San Francisco. We did do a. Like, a. Yeah. At the end.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've never wanted to live on a houseboat until I saw that.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's pretty amazing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Like, I get seasick by just, like, looking at the ocean. I was like, but I want to live.

[Ngowie Rice]

But you want to live in that house.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

What was so funny, too, is that our green room was another houseboat on that dock.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, gosh.

[Ngowie Rice]

So we were, like, sitting in the green room, and it was like, oh, no. I kind of love it. But I don't get so super seasick, so I get more, like, travel sick.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

When I. When we were filming season one of the last thing he told me, I was living in Santa Monica, right by the beach. So I would walk to the beach a lot, and I would, like, go out onto the pier or just, like, down by the beach and think about how if I could see, you know, if I had, like, magical powers, like, my parents are on the other side of that ocean, like, all the way over there. If they went to the coast and looked out at the ocean, like, we'd be looking at the same body of water, which is kind of nice.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Very nice.

[Ngowie Rice]

So that's what I would do.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, it must feel really fortunate that you get to. This is your first, like, TV series that.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's my first time I've come back for a season two.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

Were you playing Like, a role for.

[Ngowie Rice]

For a number of years. I mean. Yeah. With. I. I guess I did Spider Man. I did three of those movies. Yeah. I wasn't in the third one much at all. I really did mostly the first and second one. And that was strange, too. I mean, that's a whole other thing. That's a whole other Marvel franchise from, like, I was casting that when I was 15. The third movie came out when I was 21. Wow. Just such a. Like, what a crazy. Like, six years to be kind of involved in that. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's hard to, like. Yeah. Figure out who you are in the face of something that's so out of your control.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

You know, it's like you can't really control who's going to cast you if they want you or they don't want you, you know, that's.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

Kind of doesn't matter what you do or don't do, you know?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Exactly.

[Ngowie Rice]

It's hard. I. I feel thankful. I feel like my parents really tried to, like, instill that in me. Like, you know, that you are a worthy creative person, whether people are casting you and paying you to do it or not. And every creative pursuit is worth it, like, internally, which is good.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you for doing this. It's so lovely meeting you.

[Ngowie Rice]

This was so nice. Yeah, it was so lovely. Like, this was so nice. And thank you for having such a nice, insightful conversation. It was so fun.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Appreciate it.

[Ngowie Rice]

Really fun.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Everything here, so good. Thank you, guys.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Ready for dessert?

[Ngowie Rice]

Oh, we have dessert.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Keep it rolling. Yes.

Let's go.

[Venmo Advertiser]

Don't cut.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Is the chocolate Mandarin?

[Ngowie Rice]

Wow. Thank you. You're welcome.

[Crossroads Restaurant Staff]

Some coffee?

[Ngowie Rice]

I'm all good.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think I'm okay. Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

Are you a dessert person? I'm such a dessert person. I'm always like, we'll have a look at the menu.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

Like, we're not gonna not have a look.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love the looks everyone gives. When do you want to see a dessert menu? And everyone's, like, looking over everyone else, like, who's gonna.

[Ngowie Rice]

We'll have a look.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

I had a terrible dinner once where they came over, they said, do you want dessert? Everyone immediately said, no, we're fine. And I was there, like, yeah, I don't. I don't want it. I don't want dessert. It's fine. I didn't have the courage to speak up and to speak my truth and say, we'll have a look.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Don't ever do that again.

[Ngowie Rice]

I. I learned my lesson. I went. Dessert.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You went home angry.

[Ngowie Rice]

Yes. I was upset.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Like you lost five friends.

[Ngowie Rice]

I was really upset.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ngowie Rice]

And I was like, cool, we're not going out to dinner again.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Absolutely not.

[Ngowie Rice]

We always have to have a look at the dessert menu.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You at least look.

That's the thing we've learned today on today's episode of Dinner's on Me. At least look.

[Ngowie Rice]

At least look. And with that, and with that, we'll take the chat.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded at Crossroads Kitchen on Melrose in Los Angeles, California. Next week on Dinners On Me, you know him as the creator and host of Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix and the award winning mind behind Everybody Loves Raymond. It's Phil Rosenthal. We'll talk about how a kid from Queens turned family dinners into one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. And he tells me about what inspired him to write his second children's book called Just Try It Someplace New with his co writer, his daughter Lily. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to the to Dinners On Me. Plus, as a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click Try free at the top of the Dinners on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners on Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Behra engineered this episode. Hans Dale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.

[Venmo Advertiser]

Spring just slid into your DMs.

[Ngowie Rice]

Grab that boho. Look for that rooftop dinner, those sandals that can keep up with you. And hang some string lights to give your patio a glow up. Spring's calling, Ross.

[Venmo Advertiser]

Work your magic.